Accordion pickup

ABSTRACT

An accordion having a treble section, a bass section and an interposed bellows has a porous partition member disposed between the bass and treble sections, the partition member having a plurality of electrical microphone pickup devices disposed over complementary depressions formed in the partition on the side of the partition member adjacent the treble section of the accordion, the diaphragm of the ceramic microphone facing toward the partition member.

United States Patent 1191 1111 Gumina 5] Nov. 11, 1975 ACCORDION PICKUP3,175,448 3/1965 Cardoza 84/376 EA Inventor: Thomas Jos p Gumina 1261 N3,311,010 3/1967 Ward 84/376 EA Vine St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90038Prmmry E.\'am111er-Lawrence R. Franklin [22] Flled: 1974 Attorney,Agent, 01' FirmGardner and Anten [21] Appl. No.: 521,905

[57] ABSTRACT [221 :LS. 84/376 EA An accordion having a treble Section abass section 1] 1 11. C1. GIOD 11/00 and an interposed bellows has aporous partition [58] Fleld of Search 84/376 ber disposed between thebass and treble Sections, h

partition member having a plurality of electrical mi- [56] ReferencesC'ted crophone pickup devices disposed over complemen- UNITED STATESPATENTS tary depressions formed in the partition on the side of2,577,288 12/1951 Terlinde 84/376 EA the pafliti n m mber adjacent thetreble section of 2,639,640 5/1953 Filige 84/376 R the accordion, thediaphragm of the ceramic' micro- 2,658,420 11/1953 Pompili 1 84/376 EAphone facing toward the partition member. 2,716,370 8/1955 Sano 84/376EA 2,798,397 7/1957 Frigo et al. 84/376 EA 12 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresOQOOOOOOOQQ oooooooooo ACCORDION PICKUP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.This invention. relates to an improved accordion having a novel soundfiltering element and an improved electrical pickup. The accordion has afirst spaced portion forming a treble section and a second spaced areaforming a bass section. The bass and treble sections are connected by-abellows which forces air to pass through reeds located in thebass andtreble sections when compressed or-expanded. The passage of air'throughsuch 'reeds'results in the generation of a sound tone. Approbass andtreble sections of the accordion. Due to the generallyclosed rectangularshape of the accordion the forced air is subject to extensivedeflections resulting in the generation of undesired repetitions orharmonics of i the desired note.

When the accordion is to be used in large concert halls or in otheratmospheres which require amplification of the tones generated by theaccordion the assistance of electronics by use of-micropho'ne pickup isre- .quired.The.microphone may be entirely external of the accordionsuch as stage microphones. However, such amplification is entirelyunsatisfactory for the quality reproduction of the tones and, of course,should the accordion be part of an orchestra such stage microphone wouldbe entirely inappropriate.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,639,640, E. Felice discloses the use of a solid panelmounted between the treble and bass sections to isolate the treble andbass sections to obtain an improved tonal quality. As stated in theFelice patent, it is preferable that a solid" panel be used. Noelectronic pickup is disclosed in the Felice patent.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,658,420 to W. Pompili also discloses the use ofa'partition panel mounted between the treble and bass sections of theaccordion. The panel is disclosed as being of any suitable material suchas wood, plastic, or pressed board. The panel may also be covered orcoated with a sound-absorbent material such as felt, if the playerdesired soft tone The panel of Pompili has a concave portion centrallylocated positionedbelow a single electronic microphone pickup, suspendedfrom the reed banks in the center of the treble section. This wasintended to overcome the objection of a localized electronic microphonepickup from tending to'be more sensitive to the sounds produced by the.vibrations of the reeds closest to the pick up. The concave portion ofthe. panel serves to focus the sound waves generated on the microphone.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,288 to Terlinde, a microphone pickup was placedon a baffle plate attached to one of the reedblocks on the treblesection with the diaphragm of the microphone pickup facing the baffleplate-The baffle plate, designed to assure mixing of the sound waves,consisted of a brass plate having opposite extending arms in the planeof the plate for mounting the baffle and a number of upwardly extendingears projecting from the plate towards the microphone pickup to retainthe microphone.

In each of the above-referred to prior art patents, the microphonepickup was attached in some manner to the reed banks, very close to thesource of the generated sound.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In the present invention an accordion ofconventional construction having a treble section separated by aninterposed bellows from the bass section has a porous partition or panelsubstantially separating the bass and treble sections. In the preferredembodiment the panel is made of balsa wood. A plurality of resonatingchambers are formed in the porous partition which is a generally planarshape. The resonating chambers are in the form of depressions in theporous partition on the side of the partition facing the treble section.In the preferred embodiment the depressions are circular in shape andare of substantially the same diameter as the microphone pickup.

The microphone pickup is mounted suspended over its complementarydepression, the diaphragm of the microphone pickup being inserted in thepreferred embodiment at least partially within its associateddepression, so that the diaphragm is facing toward the partition memberand away from the treble section.

Appropriate air slots are provided at the sides of the partition topermit the flow of air between the treble and bass sections of theaccordion. The partition is supported on a layer of foam-like materialto prevent vibrations from the accordion being transmitted to thepartition panel.

The present invention permits the substantial elimination of upperharmonics which may be present in the generated sound waves of theaccordion and permits the generation of substantially sinusoidal soundwaves. In addition, the suspension of the microphone pickups in closeproximity to the resonating chambers and distant from the reed banksprovides a substantially improved tone from the tones previouslyavailable. In addition, the construction of the partition panel and theelectronic pickups are inexpensive and may be readily fitted in aconventional accordion.

OBJECTS It is an object of the present invention to provide an accordionhaving an improved tone.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedaccordion having an electronic pickup which provides a sinusoidaloutput.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedaccordion which is inexpensive to manufacture.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improvedaccordion in which a muting board and electronic pickups for such boardmay be easily attached to a conventional accordion.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedaccordion in which the electronic microphone pickups are suspended at adistance from the reed banks.

Finally, a further object of the present invention is to provide aninexpensive muting partition.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of an accordion embodying the presentinvention with a partial section showing the planar partition panel.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 taken along section lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a reduced side sectional view of the engagement between thetreble and bellow sections and the partition panel.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a resonating chamber andmicrophone pickup.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional viewof a resonating I chamber andmicrophone pickup with the diaphragm of the pickup above the chamber.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view ofa modified resonating chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1 an accordion 10is shown having a conventional treble section 12, a bass section 14, anda bellows 16. The treble section 12 includes a plurality of treble reeds(not shown) which generate a sound wave in response to the compressionor expansion of the bellows 16. The individual treble reeds areactivated in response to the depression of piano-type keys in a planview. The partition panel is of generally rectangular planar shape andsubstantially separates the treble section 12 from the bellows opening.Air gaps 30 for permitting the flow of air between the treble section 12and bass section 14 are provided in the panel.

The partition member 22 is of a generally sound absorbing materialhaving a porous characteristic. In the preferred embodiment, thepartition panel is approximately one-half inch thick and is made ofbalsa wood. However, other porous materials may be used.

The partition panel 22 has at least one depression or resonating chamber32 as illustrated in FIG. 1 on the side of the panel facing the treblesection 12. The depressions in resonating chambers 32 are in thepreferred embodiment of a circular cross section. However, alternateresonating chambers having different cross-sectioned shapes may beemployed. The resonating chamber 32, shown in an enlarged sectional viewin FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a depression in the partition panel 22 to adepth of about one-half the thickness of the width of the partitionpanel although the depth of the depression may be greater or lesser.Referring to FIG. 6, an alternate embodiment of the resonant chamber 33is portrayed. This resonant chamber 33 is of a parabolic constructionwhich directs the sound waves at a central focus point.

Above each resonant chamber 32 is suspended an electronic microphonepickup 34. The diaphragm 36 of the microphone pickup 34 faces thepartition panel 22 and in the preferred embodiment is at least partiallyinserted within the resonant chamber 32 such as shown in FIG. 4.Referring to FIG. 5, the diaphragm 36 is shown suspended above thedepression chamber 32.

The diameter of the diaphragm 36 is approximately the same diameter asthe opening of the resonant chamber 32. The microphone pickup 34 has twoprojections 38 extending laterally from the microphone pickup. Rubbergrommets 40 support the microphone pickup 34 above the partition panel22. Screws 36 passing through the projections 38 and the rubbergrommets40 and into the partition panel 22 fix the microphone pickup 34above the partition panel 22.

The electronic microphone pickups 34 are connected electronically inparallel to one another by wires 36 and by conventional circuitry to anamplifier 38 and speakers 40. The amplifier 38 may be removably connected by means of a connector jack combination 42.

What I claim is:

1. An accordion comprising:

a. a treble section;

b. a bass section;

c. a bellows positioned between said treble and bass sections;

d. a partition member, said partition member having sound absorbingcharacteristics and mounted between said treble section and saidbellows;

e. said partition member having at least one depression therein; and

f. at least one electronic microphone pickup mounted proximate saiddepression.

2. The accordion of claim 1 in which said depression in said partitionmember is on the surface of the partition member facing said treblesection.

3. The accordion of claim 2 in which said electronic microphone pickupsare mounted on said partition member, the diaphragm of said electronicmicrophone pickup facing towards said partition member.

- 4. The accordion of claim 3 in which the diaphragm of saidelectronicmicrophone pickup is at least partially inserted withinat least one ofsaid depressions.

5. The accordion of claim 1 in which there are a plurality ofdepressions in said partition panel, said depressions beingnon-symmetrically placed in said partition member.

6. The accordion of claim 1 in which said partition member is made ofbalsa wood.

7. The accordion of claim 1 in which said depressions least onedepression therein forming a resonating pickups is inserted at leastpartially within at least one of said depressions.

1. An accordion comprising: a. a treble section; b. a bass section; c. abellows positioned between said treble and bass sections; d. a partitionmember, said partition member having sound absorbing characteristics andmounted between said treble section and said bellows; e. said partitionmember having at least one depression therein; and f. at least oneelectronic microphone pickup mounted proximate said depression.
 2. Theaccordion of claim 1 in which said depression in said partition memberis on the surface of the partition member facing said treble section. 3.The accordion of claim 2 in which said electronic microphone pickups aremounted on said partition member, the diaphragm of said electronicmicrophone pickup facing towards said partition member.
 4. The accordionof claim 3 in which the diaphragm of said electronic microphone pickupis at least partially inserted within at least one of said depressions.5. The accordion of claim 1 in which there are a plurality ofdepressions in said partition panel, said depressions beingnon-symmetrically placed in said partition member.
 6. The accordion ofclaim 1 in which said partition member is made of balsa wood.
 7. Theaccordion of claim 1 in which said depressions have side walls and abottom surface.
 8. The accordion of claim 7 in which said bottom surfaceof at least one of said depressions is parabollic.
 9. In an accordionhaving a treble section, a bass section and a bellows, a muting memberpositioned between said bass section and said treble section, saidmuting member comprising a substantially rectangular partition member,said partition member having at least one depression therein forming aresonating chamber, and at least one electronic microphone pickupassociated with said depression and mounted on said partition member,the diaphragm of said microphone pickup facing said partition member.10. In the accordion of claim 9 the partition member further comprisinga porous material.
 11. In the accordion of claim 10 the partition memberbeing balsa wood.
 12. In the accordion of claim 9 in which the diaphragmof at least one of said electronic microphone pickups is inserted atleast partially within at least one of said depressions.